Teams & Riders Alberto Contador Discussion Thread

[jaylew]

I don't get all this hate you guys are giving Majka, IMO I don't see his statements as that bad. He could have done without saying he doesn't think they care about his health. But all he's doing is expressing some frustration at being called up last minute to ride the Tour.

Try to look at it from his point of view. He just completed a difficult 3 week GT. He probably thought he would now get the chance to take some time and get a deserved rest. But now only a week before Tour start he suddenly is told he has to go race another 3 weeks in the hardest of GT's. If it was me in this position I would be pretty pi$$ed just like he is.

These were my thoughts until I spent some more time thinking about it. Now I actually feel like the following:

Screw this. Everyone who is a legit professional in any field probably gets the same type of call at some point: "It's time to sack up and do your job and be awesome at it in a time of need, despite lack of sleep, rest or your expectation of something different". That's a given fact if you are good at what you you do and earn a living at it. For most of us that means sleeping at the office sometimes to meet a deadline, or a two hour notice on a flight to a different continent, etc. when we'd rather be chilling at home with the lady and family/friends. He needs to thank his lucky stars he gets to ride a bike for a living, do what what he can for his team that pays him a solid amount, and shut the **** up in public about how put out he is. His poor attitude isn't doing him any favors team-wise or fan-wise. Keep your business out of the streets as they say.

Edit: My main point is that he is in process of missing a great opportunity to do well at the tour. No one will fault him for not being recovered. Instead of doing his job and potentially being successful, he seems to be going the primadonna route. i understand his concerns but this could be a defining moment in his career that could pay heavy dividends, without the whining.

As mentioned above, I'm starting to come around to this way of thinking when at first I thought people were being ridiculous for calling him out. You know, you're right. Just do your damn job, sometimes it will be easier than you think it should be, oftentimes it will be harder. You're paid very well to do a job by your employers. They haven't asked you to do anything that's outside your job description. Suck it up and be a f**king man. If you don't like it, move on. You're not a superstar and haven't yet brought enough success to your organization that you have the leverage to plan your own program.

That said, I think it was a stupid decision by TS.

 

[yespatterns]

You seem to be under the impression that any rider can ride back to back GT's. It's not that simple. 3 Weeks of racing takes a lot out of you. Even more when you are one of the riders contending for a high GC and have to be at the top of your game and working hard on nearly every stage.

You say is is missing a opportunity to do well, how's he going to do well if he's, like he says, too tired from the Giro? In fact, IMO, the Saxo management should be taking into account how much they realistically expect him to be able to do at the age of only 24 after finishing the Giro in 6th.

It's his body that they are forcing through these hard efforts. If he doesn't feel he's ready to tackle such a challenge then he has every right to object if he feels they are not taking into account his health or whether he's ready to do back to back GT's.

And i get this, but maybe he'd be better served taking it up with management or his agent, not the public press. Speaking from personal experience, the hardest times were the ones that led to the greatest rewards/promotions/raises/cred. I think he's a fool for whining in the public sector even if he has an adequate reason. I think he is missing a chance to to be great (or at least fufilling the obligation of riding for a pro team), simply put. Maybe he's feeling like he should be on a different team (leading it at his preference), and this is his coming out party. Not sure. I was a fan of his till this, now im wondering.

 

[LaFlorecita]

I don't get all this hate you guys are giving Majka, IMO I don't see his statements as that bad. He could have done without saying he doesn't think they care about his health. But all he's doing is expressing some frustration at being called up last minute to ride the Tour.

Try to look at it from his point of view. He just completed a difficult 3 week GT. He probably thought he would now get the chance to take some time and get a deserved rest. But now only a week before Tour start he suddenly is told he has to go race another 3 weeks in the hardest of GT's. If it was me in this position I would be pretty pi$$ed just like he is.

Not 1 week before the start. Weeks ago he was told he might have to start.

 

[mrhender]

Screw this. Everyone who is a legit professional in any field probably gets the same type of call at some point: "It's time to sack up and do your job and be awesome at it in a time of need, despite lack of sleep, rest or your expectation of something different". That's a given fact if you are good at what you you do and earn a living at it. For most of us that means sleeping at the office sometimes to meet a deadline, or a two hour notice on a flight to a different continent, etc. when we'd rather be chilling at home with the lady and family/friends. He needs to thank his lucky stars he gets to ride a bike for a living, do what what he can for his team that pays him a solid amount, and shut the **** up in public about how put out he is. His poor attitude isn't doing him any favors team-wise or fan-wise. Keep your business out of the streets as they say.

Edit: My main point is that he is in process of missing a great opportunity to do well at the tour. No one will fault him for not being recovered. Instead of doing his job and potentially being successful, he seems to be going the primadonna route. i understand his concerns but this could be a defining moment in his career that could pay heavy dividends, without the whining.

Agree..

I would like to know what he told Bjarne when he called..

Also Riis is no fool, he would not bring Majka if he had nothing to contribute with, neither would he bring him if is health is at risk IMO..

This is a case of force majeure, nothing else..

Majka's place in the line-up is a result of special circumstances, not of someone trying to insult him or cause him damage..

He is young and has plenty of time to do his thing, no need to worry because his personal schedule gets interferred with this year..

Also I think this is good for his mental developement.
He needs to be able to tackle unforseen events and act proactively if he is to become a real star in the peleton for years to come.

If this is his reaction every time something not goes according to plan, he has a lot to learn.. I just hope he got it out of his system now and start concentrate on the task ahead, which is not a small one..

 

[HappyLoser]

Hi guys, you've got a wrong translation I suppose. A better one based on original interview:

" Mam dopiero 24 lata, a przejechanie dwóch wielkich tourów z rzędu to olbrzymi wysiłek dla organizmu. To się na pewno odbije na moim zdrowiu."

"I'm 24 and riding two GT's in a row is a huge effort for my body. It will cost me some health for sure."

And more:

"Nie jest zadowolony z tej decyzji. Zostałem jednak wezwany przez zespół i muszę się stawić na wyścigu"

"I'm not happy about this decision, but I was called by my team and I have to go."

"Wszystkim zależało na tym, żeby Alberto miał kogoś do pomocy, żeby miał kto ciągnąć. Widać przecież było, co się stało na poprzednich wyścigach. To nie moja wina, że nie ma drużyny"

"Everyone of us cares about help for Alberto, he needs someone to pull. It was clear that he had no team around him during last races but it's not my fault."

And in the end:

"Na pewno będziemy chcieli, żeby Alberto wygrał ten wyścig. Skoro on tak bardzo chciał, żebym jechał w tym wyścigu, to zrobię wszystko, by pomóc mu jak najbardziej."

"We want Alberto to win this race. He (AC) really wanted me to race this Tour, so I'll do my best to help him win this race."

This translation is based on Polish source:

http://eurosport.onet.pl/kolarstwo/rafal-majka-wystartuje-w-tour-de-france-bede-cierpial-i-to-bardzo/rhdlz

I leave you with this translation, judgment is your's to do. He says nothing like "My team doesn't care about my health."

 

[mrhender]

From his FB:

Raphael: "I thought about the whole situation and came to the conclusion that the TdF may be to me a step in the right direction. Sorry leadership of the team that doubted this decision.'ve come to the conclusion now that the start in the Tour de France will be a big challenge for me, but I want him to face. I will try to help Alberto with all my strength to achieve the most important goal - to win!"

Maybe he got a second call from Riis

 

[inthepink]

whatever way it was translated it sounded pretty whining

He now seems to have had a change of heart .....think the team may have opened his eyes

Whatever the rights and wrongs of having him ride the Tour he should not complain about the team in public...

The team works to create a good impression especially for sponsor (of which TCS has a few). The last thing they want to hear is a rider having a go about the team not looking after him or his health...not something you want to be associated with

Contador was treated very badly in Astana and by Tinkoff last year and had a flaming row with Riiis after Alp d'Heuz stage.....These things happen probably all the time in cycling....Contador didn't put it up on his facebook page or mention it once in public...that is being a professional

Majka needs to see this as an opportunity .....sounds like a prima donna to me

The thing is every time he appear on our screen during the Tour this is what will be mentioned

 

[murali]

i think he got a second call from oleg:

oleg:"how dare you do my job of tweeting bull****"




nice that majka clarified this. i still think that if he is tired he shouldn't be part of team. they can bring in other inexperienced riders. To be fair to the team, he was informed much ahead that he is the reserve rider for the Tour. he cant complain abt lack of information now.

 

[Hakkapelit]

Hi guys, you've got a wrong translation I suppose. A better one based on original interview:

" Mam dopiero 24 lata, a przejechanie dwóch wielkich tourów z rzędu to olbrzymi wysiłek dla organizmu. To się na pewno odbije na moim zdrowiu."

"I'm 24 and riding two GT's in a row is a huge effort for my body. It will cost me some health for sure."

And more:

"Nie jest zadowolony z tej decyzji. Zostałem jednak wezwany przez zespół i muszę się stawić na wyścigu"

"I'm not happy about this decision, but I was called by my team and I have to go."

"Wszystkim zależało na tym, żeby Alberto miał kogoś do pomocy, żeby miał kto ciągnąć. Widać przecież było, co się stało na poprzednich wyścigach. To nie moja wina, że nie ma drużyny"

"Everyone of us cares about help for Alberto, he needs someone to pull. It was clear that he had no team around him during last races but it's not my fault."

And in the end:

"Na pewno będziemy chcieli, żeby Alberto wygrał ten wyścig. Skoro on tak bardzo chciał, żebym jechał w tym wyścigu, to zrobię wszystko, by pomóc mu jak najbardziej."

"We want Alberto to win this race. He (AC) really wanted me to race this Tour, so I'll do my best to help him win this race."

This translation is based on Polish source:

http://eurosport.onet.pl/kolarstwo/rafal-majka-wystartuje-w-tour-de-france-bede-cierpial-i-to-bardzo/rhdlz

I leave you with this translation, judgment is your's to do. He says nothing like "My team doesn't care about my health."

Ok, I dont know if your interpretion is better since I cannot polish myself but thanks for your take on it, wich sets a slightly different light on the matter.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

i think he got a second call from oleg:

oleg:"how dare you do my job of tweeting bull****"




nice that majka clarified this. i still think that if he is tired he shouldn't be part of team. they can bring in other inexperienced riders. To be fair to the team, he was informed much ahead that he is the reserve rider for the Tour. he cant complain abt lack of information now.

Right, I don't like his attitude at all, but yeah, if he's still tired from the Giro it would IMO be better to just accept that they have one less climber and bring in another dom for the flats instead.

 

[jens_attacks]

good job oleg. bring this youngster with his legs on earth and get rid of him next year

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Ok, I dont know if your interpretion is better since I cannot polish myself but thanks for your take on it, wich sets a slightly different light on the matter.

Why would you want to polish yourself?

 

[Hakkapelit]

Why would you want to polish yourself?

Who wouldn't ?

 

[Carols]

good job oleg. bring this youngster with his legs on earth and get rid of him next year

Indeed Oleg probably gave him a call personally and set him straight. IMO he still a little SNOT. But now he is one with the right Public attitude no matter his private thoughts.

 

[inri2000]

Indeed Oleg probably gave him a call personally and set him straight. IMO he still a little SNOT. But now he is one with the right Public attitude no matter his private thoughts.

You and the poster you replied to have certainly exposed yourself with some very childish reactions to a bad tranlation.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

As I said yesterday, a bad translation. Unless the interview object is english, you can't really comment on an intervju that has been google translated into english

 

[Jspear]

As I said yesterday, a bad translation. Unless the interview object is english, you can't really comment on an intervju that has been google translated into english

I couldn't understand what this word was so I threw it into google translate to help me out. Its the English word "interview." See google works.

 

[inthepink]

As I said yesterday, a bad translation. Unless the interview object is english, you can't really comment on an intervju that has been google translated into english

Paweł Gadzała a Polish journalist who lives in England reported and translated ...seems pretty accurate to me....but I guess you can put whatever slant on it the suits you

 

[murali]

never trust google translate. never never trust bing translate.

i think things like this are better left to native ppl to translate.

i actually preferred the reinterpreted version. at least, that gives some benefit of doubt.


if the said reporter is based in England, he will write what his audience wants to hear. thats the way paidmedia works.

 

[inthepink]

A reporter in England will write what his audience wants to hear ??

Where to begin with this piece of xenophopic nonsense....and insult to a Polish reporter and English people

But as I said many of you on here chose to believe what you want that suits your biased view . If said reporter had written something in Polish about Froome and it was translated and did not reflect him in a good light then few would be questioning the translation

 

[Carols]

You and the poster you replied to have certainly exposed yourself with some very childish reactions to a bad tranlation.

Opinions vary, that is fine

 

[murali]

i used the word "paidmedia". paidmedia in every part of the world is just the same.

i dont know abt the specific journalist.

(calling people biased is not a nice way to discuss/debate.)


why is AC still training? shouldnt he be taking a week off to recover from the training session?

 

[jaylew]

You and the poster you replied to have certainly exposed yourself with some very childish reactions to a bad tranlation.

Sorry, not buying it. It doesn't look like it's one or the other. It appears that he said both. What HappyLoser posted is supposed to be from an interview and the previous quote was supposedly posted on his FB. I don't think this is a case where he was misquoted.

 

[Carols]

why is AC still training? shouldnt he be taking a week off to recover from the training session?

Posted 4hours ago:
Good morning everybody, another hard training in front with pain in the legs for sure. ‪#‎IlovewhatIdo‬ @tinkoff_saxo

He needs to start backing off, Le Tour starts in 6 days!

 

[indianfanboy]

dont know whether AC is over trainig or has trained like Nibali to further raise his form.If he can raise his form a level higher(thats why he seems to be training) i dont see Froome or anybody matching him in the mountains